Dec 9, 2020
TRAVEL WATCH
The rise in virus cases has dampened enthusiasm for travel right now, but people look forward to future trips. See this week’s Travel Sentiment data report from Destination Analysts or watch the full presentation.
NOVEMBER JOBS REPORT MAKES CLEAR THE ECONOMY NEEDS RELIEF
The Friday jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) showed the job market cooled further than anticipated in November as the virus surged and relief from Congress was still not forthcoming.

The economy added 245,000 jobs last month. During normal times this would be a big figure. That is not the case now. The labor market had added 610,000 jobs in October and 711,000 in September. The 245,000 increase is a noticeable slowing.

Easing the sting: The government shed 99,000 mostly seasonal Census workers. Also, the revisions to October and September numbers showed 11,000 more jobs in the economy. So, private sector job gains were over 350,000 last month – better than the headline, but still lower than previous months.
Long road: November marked the seventh straight month of gains since the economy lost more than 22.1 million jobs in March and April. Since that time, the economy has gained more than 12.3 million jobs. Even with the slow growth in November, this is an impressive feat. However, there are still more than 9.8 million fewer jobs in the economy than there were in February. It is going to take at least another year or more to get back to that level.

What’s next: The November jobs report makes clear the economy needs relief.
The Chamber’s Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer Neil Bradley said Friday, “Today’s job report shows a slumping economic recovery. Data from the Census Bureau indicated that nearly three times as many small businesses are reducing their number of employees as are adding workers. Soon approximately 12 million Americans will lose their unemployment assistance. The fire alarm is sounding on our economy and the only question is whether Congress will respond.”

—Curtis Dubay, Senior Economist, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
AEP FOUNDATION PROVIDES $100,000 TO ABILENE HERITAGE SQUARE
The AEP Foundation has provided a $100,000 grant to help fund completion of Abilene Heritage Square. The $44 million dollar project is expected to be completed in 2023 and will encompass a variety of uses focused on self-improvement, education, and bringing the community together.

The complex will include a state-of-the-art public library, exhibition space for both local and traveling exhibits, special event spaces for both private and public use and a 700-seat auditorium.

The facility will also include classroom space for the Stone Owl Institute, an after-school program where teens will learn the principles of civic service and free-market economics.
The grant was announced Tuesday afternoon.
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DEC 9 THE SERVICE CONTRACT LABOR STANDARD STATUTE The service contract act was enacted in 1965 to ensure that service workers are paid established wage rates and benefits for the work being performed.  Join Northwest Texas PTAC, Senior Field Advisor, Mark Snyder as he provides you with a general understanding of the Service Contract Labor Standard Statute. You’ll learn about the prevailing wage, how to search beta.sam.gov wage determination section, conformances, collective bargaining agreements, and other topics applicable to this Act. Register here.
DEC 9 MANAGING MUSEUM RISKS DURING A PANDEMIC 10 a.m. CT, Texas Association of Museums. Register here.

DEC 9 HEALTH AND SAFETY IN DISASTERS 1 p.m. CT, American Institute for Conservation. Register here.

DEC 15 CAN YOU WEATHER THE STORM? Tips on Budgeting, KPIs, and Reviewing Financial Statements, Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2 p.m. CT. Register here.

DEC 18 GROW WITH GOOGLE WEBINAR - MAKE BETTER BUSINESS DECISIONS WITH ANALYTICS - PART 2
Learn best practices and analyze trends about how customers engage with your business online, then turn these insights into well-informed, actionable decisions. Register here.

JAN 13 INTRODUCTION TO GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING The Federal Government spends over half of a trillion dollars on goods and services each year. States and local governments spend 1.5 trillion dollars on goods and services cumulatively each year. This webinar covers the basics of doing business in the public sector at all levels. Register here.